Jalal-Abad region

On the territory of the region are the northeastern outskirts of the Ferghana Valley and the mountains of the Western Tien Shan, which decomposes into the following ranges: Talas Alatau , Susamyrtau , Pskem Ridge , Ferghana Ridge , Chandalash Ridge and Chatkal Ridge .

Due to the isolated, but at the same time southern position of the region, its climate is temperate continental. In the mountains, severe frosts and snowfalls are possible. In the valleys, the summer is very arid.

At the foot of the mountains, steppes and semi-deserts stretch, on the slopes there are walnut and coniferous forests , sparse junipers ; above - subalpine and alpine meadows , rocks and glaciers.

The region covers an area of 33,700 km² (about 17% of the area of ​​Kyrgyzstan). More than 70% of its territory is occupied by the sparsely populated highlands of the western Tien Shan .

The remaining 30% (mainly lands along the border with Uzbekistan and the Naryn river valley) are densely populated foothills and lowlands of the Ferghana Valley allocated for irrigated agriculture (cotton growing).

The region is located in the zone of an arid sharply continental climate, however, the presence of several large glaciers in the mountains allows it to have quite significant water resources.

The main waterway of the region is the Naryn River , one of the main components of the second largest and most significant river in Central Asia - the Syr Darya , as well as numerous tributaries of Jalal-Abad .

Naryn is also a source of hydropower in the region - several hydroelectric power stations were built on it in Soviet times.

Alpine regions of the region were inhabited by nomadic tribes of Kyrgyz cattle breeders, Turkic-Mongolian immigrants from Altai . In more flat regions, autochthonous Indo-European groups of Iranian origin were preserved for a long time, engaged in irrigated agriculture even in ancient times.

At the end of the Middle Ages, after intensive Turkic-Mongolian migrations, these groups were gradually Turkized, but retained a fairly developed urban and agricultural culture, and an Uzbek ethnic group was formed on their basis.

This ethnocultural stratification according to the level of relief in the Ferghana Valley as a whole (and in the region in particular) persisted from the end of the Middle Ages almost to our time, when, after the national-territorial demarcation in Central Asia ^[1] and the establishment of the administrative-territorial division of the Kyrgyz SSR , groups of traditionally mountainous Kyrgyzs are adopting a sedentary lifestyle and moving closer to the foot of the mountains.

The territory of the Jalal-Abad region until the end of the XIX century was under the control of the Kokand Khanate , until February 28, 1876, and the Khanate, and territories dependent on it, were not included in the Russian Empire.

Actually, the Jalal-Abad region was formed from the Jalal-Abad district by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 21, 1939 .

In administrative and territorial terms, the region was divided as follows: the center is in the city of Jalal-Abad; Kok-Yangak village, which is not part of the districts; areas: Alabukinsky (center - the village of Alabuka), Bazar-Kurgan (village of Bazar-Kurgan), Jalal-Abad (city of Jalal-Abad), Caravan (village of Caravan), Ketmen-Tyubinsky (village of Akchi-Karasu), Leninsky (village of Leningol), October (village of October), Tash-Kumyrsky (workers' village of Tash-Kumyr), Uchtereksky (village of Uchterek), Chatkalsky (village of Yangi-Bazar) ^[2] .

In 1940, the Jalal-Abad district was abolished, and the Suzak district was formed (the village of Suzak). December 7, 1940 Ketmen-Tyubinsky district was renamed Toktogul (village Toktogul).

On November 16, 1942, the working village of Tash-Kumyr became a village of regional subordination, and instead of the Tash-Kumyr region, the Dzhangi-Dzholsky district was formed (the village of Dzhangi-Dzhol).

On April 15, 1943, the towns of regional subordination Kok-Yangak and Tash-Kumyr were classified as cities of regional subordination.

On January 3, 1944, the Achinsky district was formed (the village of Achi). On June 22, 1944, Chatkal district was transferred to the newly formed Talas region .

In 1956, the Achinsky and Uchtereksky districts were abolished, and Miley-Sai was categorized as a city of regional subordination.

On October 29, 1958, the Karavansky district was abolished, and the center of the Dzhangi-Jolsky district was moved to s. Caravan.

On January 27, 1959, in the course of the program on administrative-territorial enlargement, the Jalal-Abad region was abolished, and its areas were transferred to Osh region ^[3] .

Jala-Abad region was again restored on December 14, 1990 due to the rapid growth of its population. She began to count 8 districts and 5 cities of regional subordination.

Areas: Ala-Bukinsky (village Ala-Buka), Bazar-Korgonsky (village Bazar-Korgon), Dzhangi-Dzholsky (village Karavan), Leninsky (village Leninjol), Suzaksky (village Suzak), Toguz-Torousky (village of Kazarman), Toktogulsky (town of Toktogul), Chatkalsky (settlement of Kanysh-Kiya); cities: Jalal-Abad, Kara-Kul, Kok-Zhangak, Miley-Sai, Tash-Kumyr.

On February 7, 1992, the Uch-Terek district was created (the village of Uch-Terek). On March 6, 1992, the Dzhangi-Jolsky district was renamed to Aksy (village Kerben), the Leninsky district to Nookensky (village Massa).

July 23, 1992 the name of the city of regional subordination Miley-Sai was changed to Mailuu-Suu. On September 30, 1998, the Uch-Tereksky district became part of the Toktogul district (Toktogul village).

Currently, the Jalal-Abad region consists of 8 districts: Aksy (village Kerben), Ala-Bukinskiy (town Ala-Buka), Bazar-Korgon (village Bazar-Korgon), Nooken (village Massa), Suzak ( Suzak), Toguz-Torousky (village of Kazarman), Toktogulsky (town of Toktogul), Chatkalsky (settlement of Kanysh-Kya); 5 cities of regional subordination: Jalal-Abad, Kara-Kul, Kok-Zhangak, Mailuu-Suu, Tashkomur.

In the late XX - early XXI centuries, bloody ethnic conflicts between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks often flared up in the Jalal-Abad region.

In November 2005, in the colonies of the Jalal-Abad and Chui regions, the loudest prison riot in the post-Soviet space took place . The rebellion was suppressed with firearms and armored vehicles. According to official figures, several dozen people died during the operation ^[4] .

Jalal-Abad region consists of 5 cities of regional subordination ( Jalal-Abad , Kara-Kul , Kok-Zhangak , Mailuu-Suu , Tash-Kumyr ) and 8 districts:

• Aksy district (district center - Kerben );
• Ala- Buka district (district center - Ala-Buka );
• Bazar-Korgon district (district center - Bazar-Korgon );
• Nooken district (district center - Masi );
• Suzak district (district center - Suzak );
• Toguz-Torou district (regional center - Kazarman );
• Toktogul district (district center - Toktogul );
• Chatkal district (district center - Kanysh-Kya ).

Currently, 1,036,700 people live in the region (20% of the Kyrgyz population). According to 2003 statistics, the population is 834,000 people, the population density is 26 people per 1 km² (in the valleys - 200-500 people per 1 km², in the mountains - 0-5 people per 1 km²).

The Kyrgyz population prevails in the region’s population (about 70%), up to a quarter are Uzbeks , there are a small number of Russians, Turks and Tajiks.

The main religion in the region is secular Islam with an admixture of shamanism among the Kyrgyz. Russian and Russian-speaking - Orthodox and atheists.

The average household size in the region is 4.5 people. After the mass emigration of the Russian-speaking population, which, however, was never particularly numerous in the region, intensive migration processes began among the Kyrgyz people.

The rural Kyrgyz first rushed to Jalal-Abad , then to Chui oblast and Frunze (Bishkek), and more recently, to earn money in the Russian Federation . The highland regions of the region, which were the regions of traditional residence of the Kyrgyz - nomads and pastoralists (see Turkic peoples ), were practically depopulated. Due to its border position with Uzbekistan , the region has a high share of various ethnic-language minorities.

National composition

The industrialization of the region, which took place during the Soviet era, was expressed mainly in the construction of large hydroelectric power stations, the main qualified maintenance personnel of which were from the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR . At that time, cotton growing intensively developed, intensive irrigation irrigation in the conditions of collective and state farms, where the Kyrgyz and Uzbek populations were involved. The collapse of the USSR led to the de-industrialization of the region, as well as the country as a whole, the decline of technologically equipped agriculture in the region. The region suffers from chronic unemployment , reaching 70%. In the past, intensive oil, gas, coal ( Kok-Yangak , Tash-Kumyr ) and polymetallic ores were conducted in the region. The main contribution to the economy is made by the electricity from the cascade of hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs on the Naryn River: Toktogulskaya hydroelectric power station , Kurpsayskaya hydroelectric power station , Tash-Kumyrskaya hydroelectric power station , Uchkurgan hydroelectric power station ). In Soviet times, the contribution of engineering, electrical engineering, construction, cotton-cleaning, light and food industries was noticeable. In the Ferghana Valley, irrigated agriculture is developed. Specialization: cereals, cotton, tobacco, grapes, gardening, animal husbandry (sheep, goats, cows, horses), sericulture; on the slopes - rainfed agriculture . In the mountains, the most important industry is sheep farming .

The region has significant recreational and tourist material. There are three well-known specially protected natural territories in the region: Besh-Aral State Reserve , Sary-Chelek State Biosphere Reserve and Padyshatinsky State Reserve . The regional center itself - the city of Jalal-Abad has long been a resort (mineral springs). Also in the region are Arslanbob waterfalls , Lake Sary-Chelek ; the medieval mausoleum of Shah Fazil (XIII century).

• Information portal of the Jalal-Abad regional state administration
• Local government of the Jalal-Abad region